The Oscar-winning boxing film -written by Sylvester Stallone- is set to grace New York's Winter Garden theatre at the beginning of next year following the huge success of the musical Rocky: Das Musical, which debuted in Hamburg, Germany, last November.

Stallone - who starred as ROCKY BALBOA in the 1976 film - teamed up with the Ukrainian boxing brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko in 2011 to help train the actors in Hamburg and describes the story of 'Rocky' as one that ''can go on for generation to generation.''

Bill Taylor, Managing director of co-producers Stage Entertainment USA, said: ''It's a story about boxing, but the real story is actually an intimate, powerful and gritty and moving love story between two people who are both lonely and in a difficult place in their worlds.''

The musical will stay close to the film plot and will follow the Italian stallion as he makes his transition from club fighter to heavy-weight champion.

No casting has been decided as of yet for the New York production.

Rocky' won three Academy Awards - Best Picture, Best Director for John G. Avildsen and Best Film Editing - and the film spawned five sequels, all of which starred Stallone.